Back In Blonde
Westby Edge Brewing Company

 

really basic blonde ale here, my first from this stylish new spot, a little richer looking than most, more brassy than yellow, but good clarity and an average white head from the tap. i agree that it makes sense to brew a crowd pleaser style in a place like this, especially in the early going. the appearance is unfortunately the best part of this, the ferment is a problem, as was also the case with their ipa, still seems like they are figuring things out in the brew house, this is quite amateurish in that regard, a shame, because theres nowhere to hide really in a beer so light and plain. the good part of this is that the malt is fresh, there is a light crackery thing coming through, and the body is minimal but this isnt bland, all good things in a blonde ale. the yeast though smells and tastes stressed to me, slightly chemical and sharp, a little sweaty too, and is perhaps a victim of being underpitched, run too warm, or both, but its off. a little worse in this than in their ipa, which has some big hops covering up this aspect. soapy, metallic, even a brine or olive vibe. its not totally gross as its restrained a bit, it just stands out because of how minimal this all is, and i can get my glass down okay. a little light on carbonation, the grain profile is there, hops are super light, and overall this tastes like a batch one on the big system from a homebrew guy, not like a professionally executed and refined craft brew, but they are still new and some leniency is reasonable at this point. just a handful of their own beers in here among a large selection of guest taps, they have work to do in terms of both quantity and quality, but its a cool place for sure, good vibes, great service.